John Skelton - UNTO DIVERS PEOPLE THAT REMORD THIS RHYMING AGAINST THE SCOT JEMMY.

UNTO DIVERS PEOPLE THAT REMORD THIS RHYMING AGAINST THE SCOT JEMMY.

I am now constrained,
With words nothing feigned,
This invective to make,
For some peoples' sake
That list for to jangle
And waywardly to wrangle
Against this my making,
Their males thereat shaking,
At it reprehending,
And venomously stinging,10
Rebuking and remording,
And nothing according.

Cause have they none other,
But for that he was brother,
Brother unnatural
Unto our king royal,
Against whom he did fight
Falsely against all right,
Like that untrue rebel
False Cain against Abel.20

Whoso thereat picketh mood,
The tokens are not good
To be true English blood;
For, if they understood
His traitorly despite,
He was a recreant knight,
A subtle schismatic,
Right near an heretic,
Of grace out of the state,
And died excommunicate.30

And for he was a king,
The more shameful reckonfng
Of him should men report,
In earnest and in sport.
He scantly loveth our king,
That grudgeth at this thing:
That cast such overthwarts
Perchance have hollow hearts.